Quite Unexpected
by maraudersmaps
Summary: Out of all the unused classrooms in the castle, what were the chances of a Marauder picking this one to saunter into?


"Evans?"

Lily looked up from her book, startled.

"Black?"

Out of all the unused classrooms in the castle, what were the chances of a Marauder picking this one to saunter into?

Sirius looked puzzled, his dark eyebrows slanting into a frown.

"What are you doing?"

Lily shrugged.

"Reading."

"… Why?"

"Felt like it."

Sirius opened his mouth to speak, then snapped it shut. Recognition and knowledge slotted into place, changing his expression from confused to uncomfortable. Lily wondered why he hadn't just apologised for barging in and left yet - it wasn't like they were best friends.

"Um, listen, Evans… we never meant to… to instigate him, you know-"

"Please. I don't want to talk about it." Lily responded automatically, driving her eyes down to _Wuthering Heights_. She'd always preferred magical fiction, or muggle fiction about impossible things that could never truly exist in the real world, but _Wuthering Heights_ had been a gift from her mother to encourage her to branch out into muggle literature, and the deciphering of old Yorkshire language was a welcome distraction from the sickening situation she had found herself in.

"Uh, yeah. Okay. Sorry." Lily had never encountered a fumbling Sirius Black, but she was in no mood to enjoy it.

As much as she was confused by his presence, Lily was oddly comforted by the fact that he was here. She'd craved solitude when she'd woken up this morning, determined to escape the pitying eyes and soothing voices of her friends. Through the hours of the morning, however, that craving had been chipped away until she was simply feeling lonely. But what was the alternative? Return to the populated parts of the castle and endure everyone treating her like some sort of caged animal, some kitten that had been kicked once too many? Maybe even running into _him_, if her luck was that bad.

She shuddered inwardly at the mere thought of bumping into Severus Snape.

Lily had been too lost in her own worries to notice Black slipping into the seat beside her, or that there were tears beading together on her eyelids. She blinked rapidly, hoping that the moisture had dissipated amongst the ginger eyelashes. He said nothing, his eyes flitting to other parts of the room awkwardly, slouching in his chair as if it were his personal throne.

"Aren't you supposed to be doing something?" She asked, raising her eyebrows at him.

"Sort of. I mean, it's not important."

"I don't understand. We don't really talk."

"I know, but I'd feel bad if I left you alone… I don't think you really want to be by yourself."

"There's not really an alternative. Stay here, or go down and be pitied?"

"There's nothing wrong with being pitied, Evans."

"I know, but I just… I just want people to treat me normally. I don't want them to keep acting as if I'm going to break in few seconds, or that I'll start sobbing without warning. It'd be so much better if they just… carried on with life. Arguing over breakfast, taking the piss out of me… Every sorry look I get just makes me feel worse. And then there's the fact that whenever I used to be upset, I could just go to him, and now… now I can't. He called me a… a…."

Sirius said nothing. What could he possibly say?

"Sorry." She mumbled after a short while, dragging her hand over her eyes as more tears threatened to spill.

"Don't be sorry. It's good to let it all out." He looked once more around the room, his grey eyes suddenly blazing with a new fire. "Why don't you come downstairs now? If you stay here, you'll just keep thinking about it and beat yourself up even more. And you definitely don't deserve that."

Lily was surprised at Black's unexpected profoundness and wisdom. Maybe he wasn't just the pretty face of the Marauders, after all.

"Come on." He stood up, extending his hand. For the first time in a while, Lily smiled, taking his hand. She let him yank her upwards, not wanted to exert any real energy herself. She realised that she was exhausted - her muscles ached, her body limp. She hadn't quite escaped the consequences of several sleepless nights, it seemed.

Tucking her book into her bag, she followed Sirius out of the door and down a section of marble staircase. Voices steadily bubbled up to her ears from downstairs - the mindless chatter of many students on the ground floor, roaming in and out of the castle on a sunny Saturday afternoon.

She hesitated, her robes swinging forwards.

"Sirius. I don't think I can."

Sirius shot her an exasperated look.

"Seriously, Evans? You can have shouting matches with Prongs in a packed Transfiguration corridor, but you can't walk out into a crowd of people? Where's Miss Independent gone?"

"She left a while ago."

"I don't suffer fools gladly."

"Look at you, being all eloquent."

"Spending all your time with Moony has its effects."

A small smile graced Lily's lips again, and she shook her head.

"I can't believe you, out of all people, are making me do this."

"I can't believe it either."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why are you helping me?"

"I don't really know, to be honest. Just hurry up, will you? I've got Marauders business to do." His eyes lit up. "Do you want to join us?"

"Join you?"

"This is going to be one of our best pranks yet, I swear." He let out a low whistle as he thought about it, his eyes glittering, face twisting into a handsome smile.

Lily shook her head, amused.

"Not this time, Black. Not ever."

"Goody two shoes. Come on then, Marlene and Mary are by the Lake. I'll walk you."

He set off, not bothering to wait for her. Lily almost tripped as she followed, eager not to lose the only solid support she'd have amongst the general Hogwarts population. Together, they walked down the steps and towards the giant doors on the other side of the Entrance Hall. People around her started whispering immediately, their gazes burning into her - Lily fixed her eyes forwards, determined not to let the hushed voices get to her. Sirius ambled along beside her, retaining a degree of grace that could only come naturally to a person, only paying attention to a select few people.

"Alright, Bones? Got a problem? What's with the staring, Philips? Never seen a pretty face before?"

Of course, he was talking about himself.

Lily was suddenly inexplicably grateful for Sirius Black.


End file.
